03 June 2014
How often do I need to see a hygienist?
How often you see your hygienist depends on your particular, unique conditions. No one has exactly the same level of oral health as everybody else – which is why it’s probably best that you ask your personal dentist first for an expert opinion, which he can base on an assessment of your dental records. While the general rule is that you should get professional dental cleaning at least twice a year, this rule may be good for you, but only if you have perfect, healthy teeth, you do not smoke nor eat too much sugary foods, you do not have a history of gum disease nor teeth disorder, and you follow proper oral hygiene home care procedures strictly and regularly. Otherwise, you may need to visit your hygienist more often than twice a year.
It’s important to visit your hygienist as often as your unique condition requires because this will help you from developing dental problems in the future like cavities, gingivitis and other gum disease. Visiting the hygienist’s office at dentist-recommended intervals will save you from having to undergo possibly more invasive and more expensive dental treatments like root canal therapy, dental surgery and other restorative procedures. Having your teeth and gums professionally cleaned regularly will improver your chances at keeping and maintaining long-term oral health.
During a typical professional dental cleaning session, your hygienist will be able to clean all the areas in your teeth and gums that are difficult to reach on your own. In particular, the hygienist will remove the plaque and hard tartar deposits that have built up on and around the teeth using a procedure known as “scale and polish.” After scraping away the plaque and tartar, he will proceed with polishing the teeth to remove all visible marks or stains. If there is already too much plaque or tartar buildup, as when you have failed to visit your hygienist as often as you should, you may be asked to undergo more than one scale and polish treatment session. In certain cases, your dentist may issue instructions to your hygienist to give you a “debridement” or “root planing” which is a deep cleaning under the gums to eliminate bacteria from the roots of your teeth. For this procedure, you may have to take painkilling medication prior to the treatment, and you might experience some discomfort for a day or two after the root planing. Usually, fluoride will be applied following the cleaning to help protect and strengthen your teeth.
Aside from deep gum cleaning, most hygienists are also trained to take x-rays and detect signs of oral cancer and other serious mouth diseases, to administer fissure sealants and set in place preformed crowns, to do teeth whitening, and to apply certain antimicrobial rinses. A professional dental hygienist can provide you with expert advice on correct oral care procedures which you can do by yourself at home. He can also help you with your diet choices, how to quit smoking and on other matters which can affect your overall, long-term oral health.
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